Pages

Thursday, 20 December 2012

I just
realized that I’ve now been in Saudi Arabia for an entire year! Wow! I flew
into Jeddah last year on December 17th, and can’t believe a year has already
passed since I was reunited with DH (see two blog entries from when I first arrived here: http://pinkjeddahsunset.blogspot.com/2011/12/lucky-day-71.html and here: http://pinkjeddahsunset.blogspot.com/2012/01/cultural-lessons-modesty-speech-and.html). after over two years of a long-distance
engagement, and started a new life here. The past year has been full of
adjustments being newly married, in a new country, starting a new job, meeting
new friends, etc, etc, but alhamdulillah (“praise God” in Arabic) it’s been an
amazing experience and I definitely don’t regret moving here.

There
were times—especially in the second six months in Jeddah—that were particularly
challenging. Once the ‘newness’ of everything wore off and reality set in, I
started to feel the frustration of not being able to drive, the stress of work,
and anxiety about starting to repay my huge
student loan (in Ontario, Canada, the government gives students a six month
grace period after the completion of studies before they have to commence loan
repayment...) All of these factors were often overwhelming.

Back
to the future...

These
days, I’ve been keeping so busy that I haven’t had time to think about “oh, I
can’t drive” or “I wish” this or that. I love my job at an all-girls
university, and have become more involved in extracurricular activities now
that I’m used to teaching and the workload. I started a “Music Club” with a
group of girls who love to sing, and we’ve had a blast putting on our first
performance at a college event, “Kaleidoscope,”
a couple weeks ago. In January, I’ll be working with the Drama Club to put on a
performance of The Taming of the Shrew.
I spent a whole weekend revising Shakespeare’s script to make it culturally
appropriate (sorry, Will, no mention of alcohol [a lot of “ale” and “wine” are
dunk in the play....] is permitted!) I can’t wait to start working with my
lovely colleague, who I’ll call “M,” and casting the parts!

I’ve also
been tutoring three nights a week, and though it’s a busy schedule, I really
enjoy working with the grade twelve girl, and her younger sister who is in
grade six. They’re both motivated and work hard, which is a refreshing change
from some—though not all ;)—of my students in my full-time job. Just last week,
one of the students in my writing class came and told me she got 60% on a quiz
I’d posted online for the class to complete. I’d told them they could leave
class once they finished the quiz, and gave them two chances to attempt the
answers. (In our program a 65% is a pass). I suggested that she take advantage
of her second chance to write the quiz and asked her if she was aware of her
mark in the class (an F). “Yes, miss, I know I’m failing. I don’t want to be in
school. It’s okay if I fail.” MAJOR *sigh* from my side. Doesn’t she realize
that a good education is worth SO MUCH, and is something that many, many women
in Saudi Arabia—and throughout the world, for that matter—don’t have the
opportunity to receive?

While
hearing this lack of motivation can be frustrating, I have to admit that I was duly
warned. Without fail, in every
interview I had for various teaching positions in Saudi Arabia, I was asked
“how would you deal with students who have no motivation?” Yes, this is
definitely an issue!

On the
other hand, many of my students are exceptional and have the desire to learn,
to work hard, and to take advantage of their classes. They are excited to
perfect their English so they can excel in their majors (many will go on to
study Business, Interior Design, Speech and Hearing Sciences, the Social
Sciences, etc.). Saudi Arabia is a country with so much opportunity!

We know
too well how terrible the economy has been—and continues to be—in the Western
world. Here in Saudi Arabia, most people cannot comprehend that there aren’t
ample job opportunities for someone with my level of education. Their jaws drop
every time I tell stories of my friends with master’s degrees working at
McDonald’s, Wal-Mart, and other places where we worked to earn an extra buck while
we were in high school. I graduated two years ago with my master’s degree, and
after being accepted into a PhD program (also in Canada), I declined full
funding and offers of admission because the employment situation—even for very
highly educated people—is so grim in Canada.

In Saudi
Arabia, by contrast, my students can be assured that they will have jobs—and good
ones at that! The government, mashallah, is taking extensive steps to ‘Saudize’
the job market. So my task is to encourage these young women to work hard and appreciate
the assurance of appealing careers that they will love once they graduate with
their bachelor’s degrees.

Where
have I been?

Changing
the subject a little, I’ve been on a little hiatus from my blog for a number of
reasons. Lots of things have been going on since DH and I returned to Jeddah
after the summer.

Visits
to Makkah

DH and I
are thankful that Jeddah is a short 45 minute drive from the Holy City of
Makkah. We try to get away and have little weekend “staycations” (i.e. stay in a hotel somewhere relatively close to
home) at least once a month so that we can get away from the rush of everyday
life and stop, relax, and rejuvenate. It’s been really making being in Saudi
Arabia a rewarding experience. Makkah, a bustling city surrounded by desert and
mountains, is an absolutely breathtaking place, and hearing the adhan (call to
prayer) in the haram (holiest area) is simply phenomenal. Subhanallah!

On the way to Makkah.

Some beautiful desert scenery.

Getting into the city; view of the Clock Tower in the distance.

The Clock Tower, Makkah, Saudi Arabia

DH and I
especially appreciate our little monthly escapes because we’ve both been so
busy with planning for something else: possible returns to graduate school!

A
return to graduate school?

Since DH
was studying for his GMAT for business school admission over the summer, I’ve
also been toying with the idea of a return to graduate school myself. I
mentioned that I was offered funding and admission for my PhD two years ago,
but declined in order to move abroad and experience life and work in Saudi
Arabia. I don’t regret this decision, but I really do miss academia and would
love, love, love to go back and
continue with my research. With a master’s degree, I’m qualified to teach at
the university level here in Saudi Arabia, but in Canada, I can only teach at
the college level with an MA. I am thinking that with a PhD, even if the
university job market is impossible to penetrate, with a PhD in English I would
at least be more competitive for college-level faculty positions.

Trinity College Dublin

That
said, I spent the better part of the past three months working on external
funding applications, research
proposals, contacting potential supervisors, and filling out a million and one
annoying “fill in the field” forms on various university websites. Alhamdulillah
I’m finished with my Canadian PhD school and funding applications... Now I’m
thinking about applying in the UK, too.

Ireland!

On my
two-week break in October, DH went to Mecca for Hajj (the pilgrimage that every
Muslim who is physically and financially able to perform must complete once in
his or her lifetime), and after finishing most of my PhD applications, a friend
and I traveled to Dublin, Ireland for the second week of the break.

Naturally,
after seeing the sights, I ended up on a university campus (it just happened—I
didn’t plan it, I swear!!!) and was able to meet with a couple of potential
supervisors at Trinity College Dublin. I love the idea of studying in the UK,
especially since my field is early modern British drama. The archives, theatres
and resources there cannot compare to what we have in Canada. I’d have to end
up applying for travel grants to visit the UK anyways... Unfortunately, though,
funding for postgraduate studies in the UK (and Europe in general?) is nothing
compared to Canada where I can expect to be offered enough funding to cover my
tuition, books, AND living expenses, and possibly even put some money aside.
Since I met with a potential supervisor in Dublin, though, I think I’ll go
through with my application there and see if I’m offered anything competitive.

The Cliffs of Moher, Ireland

Dublin is
truly beautiful, and since I was there toward the end of October, all the shops
were setting up their Christmas displays and the cooler weather made me so
nostalgic for home. This is my second Christmas away from my family, but it
hasn’t been a bad thing so far. In Saudi Arabia, Christmas is just any other
day, so it makes me less inclined to sit around feeling like I’m missing out.

A
visit home!

Between
semesters in January, though, I have a week off. I’m excited that my mom bought
me a ticket to fly home for that week so I can visit family! I especially miss
my little sister (well, at 16, she’s not so little anymore!) and can’t wait to
hang out and enjoy some nice chilly Toronto weather! (I hope I can handle it
after Jeddah`s consistent heat!!!)

See
you soon...

Thanks for
stopping by and reading! It’s always nice to keep in touch with friends and
family, and to have visitors from all over the world come to Pink Jeddah Sunset
and say hello!

About Me

I am an English PhD candidate embarking on a couple of exciting journeys: marriage, and a big move to Saudi Arabia! This blog is about my move abroad and my cultural observations of the well known—but often misunderstood—Middle Eastern Kingdom.